Football game with magnetic control rods

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus includes a game board having a plurality of channel-defining guide members pivotally mounted at spaced locations adjacent its periphery. Each of the guide members slidably mounts a control member, and each of the control members in turn supports a permanent magnet beneath the playing portion of the game board. The control members can be oriented in their respective guide members to slide magnetically susceptible player pieces upon the upper surface playing portion, and the apparatus may in addition include a vibrating mechanism to provide a basic mode of propulsion for teams of player pieces.

United States Patent [191 Huffman et al.

[ Jan. 1, 1974 I FOOTBALL GAME WITH MAGNETIC CONTROL RODS [73] Assignee: Coleco Industries, Inc., Hartford,

Conn.

[22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 166,188

[52] U.S. Cl. 273/94 R, 273/1 M, 273/85 R, 273/85 F, 46/240 [51] Int. Cl. A63f 7/06 [58] Field of Search 273/94 R, 94 F, 85 F, 273/1 M, 109, 85 D; 46/240 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,091,459 5/1963 Lindman 273/1 M X 2,600,940 6/1952 Tullio 273/94 R X 2,263,115 11/1941 Winter 273/94 R 3,400,931 9/1968 Thornton 273/94 R 2,772,512 12/1956 Mooica, Jr. 273/94 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,037,238 9/1953 France 273/850 356,393 9/1961 Switzerland 273/85 D 503,621 12/1954 Italy 273/85 F 460,218 10/1949 Canada 273/85 F 14,084 4/1903 Great Britain.... 273/94 F 1,245,682 lO/l960 France 273/94 F Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerPaul E. Shapiro Attorney-Peter L. Costas [5 7] ABSTRACT Game apparatus includes a game board having a plurality of channel-defining guide members pivotally mounted at spaced locations adjacent its periphery. Each of the guide members slidably mounts a control member, and each of the control members in turn supports a permanent magnet beneath the playing portion of the game board. The control members can be oriented in their respective guide members to slide magnetically susceptible player pieces upon the upper surface playing portion, and the apparatus may in addition include a vibrating mechanism to provide a basic mode of propulsion for teams of player pieces.

17 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAH M924 7 3.782.726

I Im/en hrs Dam/d Huffman PATENTEDJAX 1 m4 saw so: 4

lhvenfars Dana/d Huffman Richard M Majeuzskz' FOOTBALL GAME WITH MAGNETIC CONTROL RODS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In certain prior art game apparatus, magnetic attrac- 5 least one of the control members. The player piece may tion has been utilized to effect the movement of playing pieces upon the surface of a game board. Although in some instances the control magnet is is desirably hand held, there are advantages in providing a mechanical support for moving the magnet beneath-the playing surface. The prior art support devices of this type have tended to be inadequate in providing a desirable level of control, or to be so complex as to entail undue difficulty in manufacture.

In addition, game apparatus has previously been provided wherein the movable playing pieces are propelled by vibration of the game board. However, so far as is known, magnetic and vibrational effects have not previously been combined in a fully satisfactory manner or in such a way as to provide a table-top type of game in which an opportunity is afforded for application of the procedure and strategy of an actual sports game.

Accordingly, it is primary object of the present invention to provide a novel game apparatus having magnetic player piece control members supported in a game board by means which is adequate to afford sufficient control, and which is also relatively simple and inexpensive to produce.

it is also an object of the invention to provide such a game apparatus wherein magnetic and vibrational effects are combined in a highly desirable manner.

Another object is to provide such game apparatus providing for application of sports game strategy and procedure.

Still another object is to provide a novel game involv- 3 ing the manual movement of some players of each team and the vibratory movement of other players.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects of the present invention can readily be attained in a game apparatus including a game board member having a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrrous material, with means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area. Support means depending from the playing portion spaces it above a planar support surface, and a plurality of channel-defining guide members are mounted at spaced locations adjacent the periphery of the playing portion and therebelow for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane thereof. The appara tus also includes a control member mounted in each of the guide members on the game board; each of the control members comprises an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof, with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of the shaft outwardly of the game board, and control means adjacent the inner end of the shaft inwardly of and below the game board playing portion. The control means includes a permanent magnet supported by the control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of the playing portion, and the control means is slidable in the guide member and pivotable therewith to permit movement of the magnet to substantially any location under the playing portion of the game board. In addition, a plurality of player pieces are provided, each of which has a base portion configured for stable seating be magnetically coupled with a magnet through the playing portion, and slidably moved upon the upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder.

A multiplicity of player pieces, divided into two teams, may be provided, with at least a plurality of player pieces of each team being configured to receive and conceal an element of magnetically susceptible material, when mounted on the playing portion. It is preferred that only some of the plurality of pieces have the element of magnetically susceptible material, to render the control members effective to move only some of the player pieces of each team. The element of magnetically susceptible material desirably comprises a magnet in the player piece adjacent the upper surface of the playing portion for magnet coupling to a magnet of a control member. In one embodiment, the magnet of one control member is disposed with its north pole adjacent the bottom surface of the playing portion, and the magnet of the other control member is disposed with its south pole thereadjacent. The player pieces are divided into two teams with the magnets of opposing teams being disposed with their poles reversed relative to one another, so that a control member will magnetically couple to the player pieces of one team and magnetically repel the player pieces of the other team.

Most desirably, the apparatus also includes an electric vibrating mechanism operatively connected to the playing portion of the game board member for vibration thereof, and at least some of the player pieces are readily movable along the board playing portion by vibratory action. In such an embodiment, the base portions of the player pieces are desirably provided with a plurality of resiliently deformable leg elements which depend therefrom and provide the supporting contact of the player pieces upon the upper surface of the playing portion. The player pieces may be divided into two teams with only certain ones of each team including a magnetically susceptible element, and with the pieces 5 not having such an element being movable by action of the vibrating mechanism.

The playing portion of the board member is preferably substantially rectangular and has guide members mounted along each of the longer sides thereof. Most desirably, the board member includes aplurality of control member support fixtures mounted adjacent the periphery of the playing portion. Each of the fixtures may include a generally planar mounting plate disposed generally perpendicularly to the playing portion and having a passageway therethrough. The guide members may be pivotally mounted in the passageways with the channels thereof centrally disposed relative thereto. Preferably, the mounting plate will have upper and lower laterally extending flange elements adjacent the passageway thereof. The guide member will be of generally cylindrical configuration, mounted between the flange elements, and will have the guide channel extending diametrically therethrough. The support means of the board member may desirably include depending sidewall portions in which the fixtures are mounted. The passageway of the mounting plate may be elongated in a direction parallel to the plane of the playing portion, and its central portion may be wider than the portion adjacent the ends thereof. In such a construction, the guide member will be mounted with the channel thereof in registry with the central portion of the passageway.

In playing the game, the steps employed may comprise first positioning a multiplicity of movable player pieces upon the planar upper surface of a game board, which player pieces constitute two identifiable teams, each comprised of a plurality thereof. At least one player piece of each team will be magnetically susceptible, and at least a second player piece of each team will be vibrationally movable on the upper surface of the game board. The game board may then be vibrated to effect the movement of the vibrationally movable second player pieces, and a magnetically susceptible player piece of a first of the teams will be magnetically moved toward a designated area of the game board, along a path selected to avoid contact with any player piece of the second of the teams. The magnetically susceptible player piece of the second team will be moved magnetically toward the magnetically moved player piece of the first team along a path intended to cause contact therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a football game assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left end elevational view thereof drawn to a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof drawn to the scale of FIG. 2, omitting some of the attachments thereto and showing in phantom line several alternate positions of one control rod;

FIG. 4 is a slightly enlarged sectional view thereof along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 including a player piece and omitting some of the attachments thereto, and showing in phantom line the alternate position of the handle of one of the control rods;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a support fixture and slidably mounted control rod employed in the assembly of FIG. 1, drawn to a scale greatly enlarged therefrom;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a magnetically movable player piece employed in the instant apparatus showing the magnet coupling piece and a magnetic football member;

' FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the player piece of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the base of the player piece of the preceding two figures, and drawn to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view to an enlarged scale of the base portion of a player piece, as seated upon the upper surface of the playing portion of the game board; and

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatical plan view of the game apparatus with two teams of player pieces arranged thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Turning now in detail to the appended drawings, therein illustrated is a football game apparatus embodying the present invention and including a game board, generally designated by the numeral 10, and a pair of control members generally designated by the numeral 12 mounted thereon. The board 10 simulates a football stadium and has a rectangular frame consist ing of side and end frame sections, generally designated by the numeral 14, joined at their ends by corner pieces 16. As can be seen in FIG. 4, each of the corner pieces 16 has a short projection 18 formed on its lower surface which functions as a supporting foot element, and the frame sections 14 are of inverted and opposed generally G-shaped cross section. More particularly, the frame sections 14 are formed with an outside wall 20 having inwardly projecting parallel bottom and top walls 22,24 respectively. A depending inner wall 26 is provided at the inner end of the top wall 24 and the lower end thereof is bent to provide an inwardly opening channel 28 of generally Ushaped cross section, which is aligned with similar channels 28 of the other frame sections 14 to provide a peripheral channel approximately midway of the height of the frame sections 14.

Within the channels 28 of the frame sections 14 are engaged the marginal portions of the planar panel 30 having football field markings upon its upper surface 32. Goal post structures 34, a yard marker 36, and zone flags 38 are also provided thereon for use in play and to simulate actual football playing field equipment. To afford further realism, a grandstand structure 40 is mounted at one side of the game board 10 upon one of the frame sections 14, and it has an operative scoreboard 42 affixed thereto whcih may be used in playing the game for registering the score, quarter and downs.

An electrical vibrating mechanism 44 is installed against the lower surface 46 of the panel 30 to impart vibratory motion thereto; the switch plunger 48 and adjustment screw 50 of the mechanism 44 are exposed for ready access on the upper surface 32 of the panel 30,

and the power cord 52 thereof is available outside the game board 10 for connection to an appropriate electrical outlet.

Mounted in longitudinally disposed, elongated openings 76 in the sidewalls 20 of the frame sections 14 defining the sides of the game board 10 below the level of the panel 30 are a pair of control member support fixtures or guide frames, generally designated by .the numeral 74. As can best be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support fixtures 74 include a rectangular planar face plate or mounting plate 78 and a pair of longitudinally extending lip elements 88 disposed inwardly of the frame section sidewall 20 and with a spacing therebetween which is greater at the center portion thereof. The face plate 78 has an aperture therein registering with the spacing between the lip elements 88 so as to define a passageway 86 through the support fixtures 74.

The face plate 78 has an aperture 80 adjacent each end and a pair of wedge shaped retaining lugs 82 along each of its longitudinal edges which frictionally engage the sidewall 20 adjacent the opening 76. Fasteners 84 extend through the apertures 80 into the sidewall 20 to provide firm interengagement. The lip elements 88 have vertically aligned apertures 90 formed at the midpoint thereof and shallow guide channels 92 are formed on the inner surfaces thereof between the free ends and the apertures 90.

Pivotably mounted in the passageway 86 at its enlarged center portion is a guide member 94 of generally cylindrical configuration with axially extending axle elements 96 snapped into the apertures 90 of the lip elements 88. The guide members 94 each have diametrically extending, generally rectangular guide channel 98 therein, in which the control members 12 are supported.

The control member 12 consists of a narrow elongated shaft 54 which extends through and is slidably seated in the guide channel 98 of the guide member 94. It is provided with a handle 56 on the outer end, and a magnet assembly, generally designated by the numeral 58, located on the inner end thereof. As is seen in FIG. 4, the handle 56 has a longitudinal slot 60 extending inwardly from one end thereof, which adapts it for fastening upon the shaft 54 in either a coaxial position (the phantom line representation) or a perpendicular position. I

The magnet assembly 58 includes a support member having a disk-shaped body portion 62 with a circular recess 64 in its upper surface, and a short radially extending sleeve portion 66 having a rectangular slot 68 therein. The end of the shaft 54 is retained in the slot 68 by the fastener 70; a disk-shaped permanent magnet 72 is seated in the recess 64 and is preferably bonded or otherwise secured therein.

Since the shaft 54 of the control member 12 is slidably received in the guide channel 98 and since the guide member 94 is pivotable in the support fixture 74', as is illustrated in FIG. 3, the control member 12 may be manipulated within the passageway 86 to position the magnet assembly 58 at virtually any location beneath the panel 30; the longitudinal ends of the two lip elements 88 are vertically spaced apart to avoid interference with the control member 12, in the extreme portions of the arc of pivoting thereof.

Turning now in detail to FIGS. 7-10, a player piece, generally designated by the numeral 100, is illustrated therein and consists of a football player figure 102, mounted upon a hollow base 103 having a curved forward end 104, with a thin plate 106 of ferrous metal interposed therebetween. The figure 102 has a short round-headed pin 108 projecting from the bottom of each of the feet thereof, and a pair of apertures 110 is provided in the top wall of the base 103 and the plate 106 to receive the pins 108, and to thereby assemble the parts of the player piece 100.

As can be seen in FIG. 9, the hollow base 103 is open downwardly to provide a recess in which the magnetic coupling block 112 (in FIG. 7) may be placed and retained by magnetic attraction to the ferrous metal plate 106. The plate 106 also enables magnetic engagement of the magnetic football member 114, which is used in the play of the game. Four resiliently deformable legs 116 extend downwardly and rearwardly (relative to the position of the figure 102) from the bottom surface 118 of the base 103. The legs 1 16 contact the upper surface 32 of the panel 30 and are sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the player piece; vibration of the panel 30 by the mechanism 44 causes the player piece 100 to walk upon the legs 116, and the direction in which the legs 116 are disposed will, in turn, determine the direction in which the piece 100 will proceed. By appropriately constructing the legs 116, directional changes may be readily made simply by rubbing or brushing them in a direction opposite to that in which movement is desired.

Finally, a complete set-up for a football game is illustrated in FIG. 1 1 wherein the opposing teams of player pieces (indicated by the directions of the curved ends 104 of the bases 103 thereof) are arranged upon the upper surface 32 of the panel 30. With the mechanism 44 operating to vibrate the panel 30, the teams of opposing pieces 100 will (assuming the feet 1 16 thereof are so disposed) move toward one another. Normally, only selected player pieces 100 (e.g., one or two on each team) will be provided with magnetic coupling blocks 112 to render them sufficiently magnetically susceptible and thereby movable by interaction with the magnets 72 of the control member 12. If all of the player pieces as are of the same construction as that illustrated, the blocks 112 may be interchanged among them to add an element of surprise to the strategy of play.

In a broad sense, the football game embodiment hereof is generally played by allowing free movement of the majority of the pieces over the vibrating panel 30, with each opponent controlling, with his control member 12, the movement of one or more key players on his team. Thus, the participant on offense might control the movement of the ball carrier (i.e., the piece 100 to which the football member 114 is attached), a receiver, and/or a blocker; the defensive participant might control the movement of one or more specific tacklers, with touching of the ball carrier by any defensive player piece 100 being considered a tackle. The specifics of play are not critical to the concept of the present invention and should be considered to impose no limitation upon the scope thereof. Additional types of player pieces 100, such as those having passing and- /or kicking capability, may be provided, and the style of the apparatus may be altered quite drastically to render it more suitable for simulated games other than football. Moreover, although the vibratory action constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not essential and may be omitted to provide a game wherein basic propulsion of the pieces is achieved by other means, or wherein the pieces may be moved only by magnetic interaction.

As will be appreciated, although the inclusion of a magnet to render certain of the player pieces magnetically susceptible constitutes a preferred embodiment, this is not essential and adequate magnetic susceptibility may result simply by the provision of an appropriately positioned ferrous element. In some cases it may be desirable to render the players of the two teams each susceptible to different magnetic polarity (north or south) by orientation of the magnets with the poles disposed in opposite directions. The control member provided to the participants would, in such a case, have magnets which are disposed in opposite directions specific to the polarity of that individual s player pieces. In this manner, a player piece of the one team would be repelled by the control member for the other team, and vice versa.

More than two control members and support assemblies may be utilized to permit simultaneous movement of more than one player on each team or play by more than two persons, and the positions of the members may vary from the illustrated embodiment. For example, they may both be disposed on the same side of the game board if so desired.

The materials of construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The magnets may be of cast metallic or sintered powder construction, and they may be multipolar, with alternating regions of polarity therein. Such multipolar magnets will be positioned in the player piece and control members so as to cause the flux lines thereof to intersect the game board playing portion in a direction generally normal thereto, and their usage may be relied upon to enhance the strength of coupling that is obtained. If so desired, spaced pole pieces may be provided on such magnets to isolate and concentrate the magnetic fields of each of the regions, and to thereby increase the overall field strength thereof.

The playing portion of the game board is desirably fabricated of a thin sheet of smooth surfaced (at least on the upper face) synthetic or resinous material or of a cellulosic, such as fiberboard. The playing portion must be a material which is not magnetically susceptible and must be sufficiently thin to permit the magnetic flux to pass therethrough substantially unattenuated. The frame portions of the game board are desirably formed of sheet metal, which will preferably be ferrous to enable magnetic attachment of the various optional accessories. The base portions of the player pieces will advantageously be produced from a synthetic resinous material to afford to the legs thereof the desired combination of resilient deformability and rigidity adequate for support and also for directional control of movement, and the polyamides function well as such.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a novel game apparatus having magnetic player piece control members supported in a game board by means which is adequate to afford sufficient control, and which is also relatively simple and inexpensive to produce. In the game apparatus, magnetic and vibrational effects are combined in a highly desirable manner, and it provides for the application of sports game strategy and procedure. The invention also provides a novel game involving the manual movement of some players of each team and the vibratory movement of other players thereof.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a'playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface, and a plurality of channel defining guide members at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion and therebelow for. pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane thereof; a control member mounted in each of said guide members each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide member and pivotable therewith to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; a plurality of player pieces having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion and at least one of said player pieces having an ele- 6 brating mechanism operatively connected to said playing portion of said game board member for vibration thereof, at least some of said player pieces being readily movable along said board playing portion by vibratory action, whereby a selected player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder while other player pieces are moved by vibratory action.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are a multiplicity of player pieces divided into two teams, at least a plurality of player pieces of each team being configured to receive and conceal an element of magnetically susceptible material when mounted on each playing portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein only some of said plurality of pieces have said element of magnetically susceptible material whereby said control members are effective to move only some of the player pieces of each team.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of player pieces is divided into two teams and only some player pieces of each team include elements of magnetically susceptible material, the player pieces without said elements of magnetically susceptible material being movable along said playing portion by action of said vibratory mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base portions of said player pieces have a plurality of resiliently deformable leg elements depending therefrom and exposed providing the supporting contact of said player pieces upon said upper surface of said playing portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said element of magnetically susceptible material comprises a magnet in said player piece adjacent the upper surface of said playing portion for magnetic coupling to a magnet of a control member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the magnet of one control member is disposed with its pole adjacent said bottom surface of said playing portion and the magnet of the other control member is disposed with its south pole adjacent said bottom surface, the player pieces being divided into opposing teams with the magnets of opposing teams being disposed with their poles reversed relative to one another, whereby a control member will magnetically couple to the player pieces of one team and magnetically repel the player pieces of the other team.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing portion of said board member is substantially rectangular, and wherein guide members are mounted along each of the longer sides thereof.

9. In a game playing method, the steps comprising:

a. positioning a multiplicity of movable player pieces upon the planar upper surface of a game board, said player pieces constituting two identifiable teams each comprised of a plurality thereof, at least one player piece of each team being magnetically susceptible and at least a second player piece of each team being vibrationally movable upon said upper surface;

b. vibrating said game board to effect the movement of said vibrationally movable second player pieces;

0. magnetically moving said magnetically movable one player piece of a first of said teams toward a designated area of said game board along a path selected to avoid contact with any player piece of the second of said teams; and

d. magnetically moving said one player piece of said second team toward said one player piece of said first team along a path intended to cause contact therewith.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said magnetically susceptible player pieces are also vibrationally movable upon said upper surface, and wherein said vibrating step effects the movement of any thereof not being moved magnetically.

1 1. The method of claim including a subsequent sequence of said steps (b), (c) and (d) following the additional step of altering the magnetic susceptibility of certain of said player pieces by rendering the magnetically susceptible player piece of at least one of said teams magnetically immovable and by rendering another of said player pieces of the same team magnetically movable.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein each of said teams includes at least two magnetically susceptible player pieces, and wherein said method includes the additional steps of magnetically moving a second magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team along a path selected to effect contact with player pieces of said second team to block contact of the first magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team thereby.

13. The method of claim 12 including the additional step of magnetically moving a second magnetically susceptible player piece of said second team along a path selected to effect contact with said first magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team.

14. The method of claim 9 additionally including the step of deforming a portion of the player pieces of at least one of said teams to preselect the general direction of vibrational movement thereof.

15. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface and including depending sidewall portions, and a plurality of control member support fixtures mounted in said depending sidewall portions at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion, each of said fixtures including a subassembly of an integrally formed synthetic plastic, generally planar mounting plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said playing portion and having a passageway therethrough elongated in a direction parallel to the plane of said playing portion and also having upper and lower laterally extending flange elements, and an integrally formed synthetic plastic channel-defining guide member pivotally mounted in said passageway between said flange elements of said plate for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said playing portion, said guide member being of generally cylindrical configuration and having a channel extending diametrically therethrough centrally disposed relative to the passageway of said mounting plate, said channel being disposed below said playing portion; a control member mounted in each of said guide members each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft outwardly of said game board, and control means adjacent the inner end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide member and pivotable therewith to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; and a plurality of player pieces having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion and at least one of said player pieces having an element of magnetically susceptible material disposed therein for magnetic engagement by said magnet of at least one of said control members, whereby a player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said passageway of said mounting plate is wider in its central portion than adjacent the ends thereof, and wherein said guide member is mounted with said channel thereof in registry with said central portion of said passageway.

17. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface and including depending sidewall portions, and a plurality of channel defining guide means at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion and providing channels therebelow; a control member mounted in each of said guide means for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to said playing portion and each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft outwardly of said game board, and control means adjacent the inner end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide means and pivotable to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; and a plurality of player pieces divided into two teams and each having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion, at least a plurality of players of each team being configured to receive and conceal an element of magnetically susceptible material and at least one of said player pieces of said plurality of at least one team having an element of magnetically susceptible material disposed therein for magnetic engagement by said magnet of at least one of said control members; and an electric vibrating mechanism operatively connected to said playing portion of said game board member for vibration thereof, at least some of said player pieces of each team being readily movable along said board playing portion by vibratory action of said vibra tor mechanism, whereby only a selected player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder while other player pieces are concurrently moved by vibratory action.

* =e= a: a: 

1. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface, and a plurality Of channel defining guide members at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion and therebelow for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane thereof; a control member mounted in each of said guide members each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide member and pivotable therewith to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; a plurality of player pieces having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion and at least one of said player pieces having an element of magnetically susceptible material disposed therein for magnetic engagement by said magnet of at least one of said control members and an electric vibrating mechanism operatively connected to said playing portion of said game board member for vibration thereof, at least some of said player pieces being readily movable along said board playing portion by vibratory action, whereby a selected player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder while other player pieces are moved by vibratory action.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are a multiplicity of player pieces divided into two teams, at least a plurality of player pieces of each team being configured to receive and conceal an element of magnetically susceptible material when mounted on each playing portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein only some of said plurality of pieces have said element of magnetically susceptible material whereby said control members are effective to move only some of the player pieces of each team.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of player pieces is divided into two teams and only some player pieces of each team include elements of magnetically susceptible material, the player pieces without said elements of magnetically susceptible material being movable along said playing portion by action of said vibratory mechanism.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base portions of said player pieces have a plurality of resiliently deformable leg elements depending therefrom and exposed providing the supporting contact of said player pieces upon said upper surface of said playing portion.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said element of magnetically susceptible material comprises a magnet in said player piece adjacent the upper surface of said playing portion for magnetic coupling to a magnet of a control member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the magnet of one control member is disposed with its pole adjacent said bottom surface of said playing portion and the magnet of the other control member is disposed with its south pole adjacent said bottom surface, the player pieces being divided into opposing teams with the magnets of opposing teams being disposed with their poles reversed relative to one another, whereby a control member will magnetically couple to the player pieces of one team and magnetically repel the player pieces of the other team.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing portion of said board member is substantially rectangular, and wherein guide members are mounted along each of the longer sides thereof.
 9. In a game playing method, the steps comprising: a. positioning a multiplicity of movable player pieces upon the planar upper surface of a game board, said player pieces constituting two identifiable teams each comprised of a plurality thereof, at least one player piece of each tEam being magnetically susceptible and at least a second player piece of each team being vibrationally movable upon said upper surface; b. vibrating said game board to effect the movement of said vibrationally movable second player pieces; c. magnetically moving said magnetically movable one player piece of a first of said teams toward a designated area of said game board along a path selected to avoid contact with any player piece of the second of said teams; and d. magnetically moving said one player piece of said second team toward said one player piece of said first team along a path intended to cause contact therewith.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said magnetically susceptible player pieces are also vibrationally movable upon said upper surface, and wherein said vibrating step effects the movement of any thereof not being moved magnetically.
 11. The method of claim 9 including a subsequent sequence of said steps (b), (c) and (d) following the additional step of altering the magnetic susceptibility of certain of said player pieces by rendering the magnetically susceptible player piece of at least one of said teams magnetically immovable and by rendering another of said player pieces of the same team magnetically movable.
 12. The method of claim 9 wherein each of said teams includes at least two magnetically susceptible player pieces, and wherein said method includes the additional steps of magnetically moving a second magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team along a path selected to effect contact with player pieces of said second team to block contact of the first magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team thereby.
 13. The method of claim 12 including the additional step of magnetically moving a second magnetically susceptible player piece of said second team along a path selected to effect contact with said first magnetically susceptible player piece of said first team.
 14. The method of claim 9 additionally including the step of deforming a portion of the player pieces of at least one of said teams to preselect the general direction of vibrational movement thereof.
 15. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface and including depending sidewall portions, and a plurality of control member support fixtures mounted in said depending sidewall portions at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion, each of said fixtures including a subassembly of an integrally formed synthetic plastic, generally planar mounting plate disposed generally perpendicularly to said playing portion and having a passageway therethrough elongated in a direction parallel to the plane of said playing portion and also having upper and lower laterally extending flange elements, and an integrally formed synthetic plastic channel-defining guide member pivotally mounted in said passageway between said flange elements of said plate for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said playing portion, said guide member being of generally cylindrical configuration and having a channel extending diametrically therethrough centrally disposed relative to the passageway of said mounting plate, said channel being disposed below said playing portion; a control member mounted in each of said guide members each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft outwardly of said game board, and control means adjacent the inner end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide member and pivotable therewith to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; and a plurality of player pieces having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion and at least one of said player pieces having an element of magnetically susceptible material disposed therein for magnetic engagement by said magnet of at least one of said control members, whereby a player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said passageway of said mounting plate is wider in its central portion than adjacent the ends thereof, and wherein said guide member is mounted with said channel thereof in registry with said central portion of said passageway.
 17. In a game apparatus, the combination comprising: a game board member including a relatively thin, substantially planar playing portion fabricated of a nonferrous material having means on the upper surface thereof defining a playing area, support means depending from said playing portion for spacing it above a planar support surface and including depending sidewall portions, and a plurality of channel defining guide means at spaced locations about the periphery of said playing portion and providing channels therebelow; a control member mounted in each of said guide means for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to said playing portion and each comprising an elongated shaft slidably seated in the channel and extending to both sides thereof with a handle portion adjacent the outer end of said shaft outwardly of said game board, and control means adjacent the inner end of said shaft inwardly of and below said game board playing portion, said control means including a permanent magnet supported by said control member closely adjacent the bottom surface of said playing portion, said control member being slidable in said guide means and pivotable to permit movement of said magnet to substantially any location under said playing portion; and a plurality of player pieces divided into two teams and each having a base portion configured for stable seating and sliding movement upon said upper surface of said playing portion, at least a plurality of players of each team being configured to receive and conceal an element of magnetically susceptible material and at least one of said player pieces of said plurality of at least one team having an element of magnetically susceptible material disposed therein for magnetic engagement by said magnet of at least one of said control members; and an electric vibrating mechanism operatively connected to said playing portion of said game board member for vibration thereof, at least some of said player pieces of each team being readily movable along said board playing portion by vibratory action of said vibrator mechanism, whereby only a selected player piece may be magnetically coupled with a magnet through said playing portion and slidably moved upon said upper surface thereof by manipulation of a control member and consequent movement of its magnet thereunder while other player pieces are concurrently moved by vibratory action. 